Generally, it is well known in motor vehicles to provide a seat belt system that includes a buckle connected to the vehicle floor by a strap extending through a space between a seat back cushion and a seat bottom cushion so that the cushions support the buckle in its normal use position.
It is also known for some vehicles to utilize a clam shell seat arrangement in which the rear seat is mounted to the vehicle floor by a mechanism comprising of pivots and linkage arms which allow the seat back to fold downward to a horizontal cargo position to form a cargo floor. In some vehicle arrangements, the seat back may also move simultaneously forward with the seat bottom away from the buckle and its connecting strap.
The use of a substantially stiff connecting strap for the buckle, such as a metal bracket or a length of belt supported by a stiff plastic sheath, can support the buckle in its use position even after the seat back and seat bottom have moved away from the buckle. However, in some seating arrangements, the stiff connecting strap and buckle interfere with the movement of the seat back and seat bottom when moving between the cargo position and the normal seating position. Also, the stiff connecting strap and buckle may cause an occupant discomfort upon entering and exiting the vehicle, especially when the buckle is positioned substantially above the seat bottom to facilitate passenger access to the buckle.
Accordingly, the prior art has recognized that the buckle can be connected to the floor by a spring supported yieldable support that continuously biases the buckle into engagement with the seat back so that the buckle always follows the movement of the seat back. However, when utilized in conjunction with a clam shell seat arrangement, the buckle becomes disengaged from the seat back upon the seat back moving away from the buckle towards the cargo position. This results in the buckle being behind the seat back upon the seat returning to its normal seating position, and thus the buckle is unable to obtain the use position.
It would be advantageous to provide a new and improved buckle positioning apparatus for use in conjunction with seating arrangements in which the seat moves substantially away from support of the buckle.
It would also be advantageous to provide such a buckle positioning apparatus that would reliably position the buckle during the return movement of the seat back from the cargo position to the normal seating position so that the buckle is re-established in the occupant accessible use position extending between the seat bottom and the seat back.
In addition, it would be advantageous to provide such a buckle positioning apparatus that would position the buckle at a heightened position above the seat bottom to enhance occupant accessibility to the buckle.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide such a buckle positioning apparatus that would yield during movement of the seat between the normal seating position and the cargo position so that the buckle and support strap would not interfere with the movement of the seat.
Lastly, it would be advantageous for such a buckle positioning apparatus to yieldably support the buckle at its normal use position in order to improve occupant comfort by allowing the buckle to yield and move upon the occupant pushing the buckle.